Science

Math Science Partnership Site 

Southwest Vermont Science Partnership

History: 

The SW VT Science Partnership was formed in March of 2005 in an effort to collaborate in the development of  high quality science assessments, provide professional development, and inform the science teaching professional community. The partnership is an outgrowth of the Southwest Vermont Curriculum Coordinators Collaborative.

From 2004 to 2008, the Curriculum Coordinators sponsored Science Assessment  Institutes. These institutes have produced the science performance assessment tasks you see on this website. The institute is now being offered in ESAs outside of our region. The tasks developed are still reviewed by our regional task review committee to ensure that they are aligned with state and national standards and are equally accessible to all students. After review and final revision, the tasks are uploaded to this website for use by all teachers.

 

Science Review Committee

Lynne Blair (lynne.blair@rcsu.org)
Jean Ward (jean.ward@brsu.org)
Tim Gilbert (tgilbert@rutlandhs.k12.vt.us)
Erin Therrien (erin.therrien@rcsu.org)
Mort Brown (mort.brown@rcsu.org)
Bernie Peatman (bpeatman@rssu.org)
Hilary Peck (hpeck@swvsu.org)
Lori Fretta (lfretta@ovuhs.k12.vt.us)
Carrie Mauhs-Pugh (cmauhspugh@brsu.org)
Dawn Adams (dadams@rutlandhs.k12.vt.us)
Chris Labate (clabate@rssu.org)
Ron Adams (ron.adams@rswsu.org)
Wendy Picton (wpicton@svsu.org)
John Ulrich (julrich@svsu.org)

SW VT Science Partnership Steering Group

Lynne Blair (lynne.blair@rcsu.org)
Jean Ward (jean.ward@brsu.org)
Tim Gilbert (tgilbert@rutlandhs.k12.vt.us)
Erin Therrien (erin.therrien@rcsu.org)
Mort Brown (mort.brown@rcsu.org)
Bernie Peatman (bpeatman@rssu.org)
Polly Stone (stonep@bvsu.org)

Assessment Information

New England Common Assessment Program

Vermont Department of Education: Science

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Science Partnership Overview.doc27.5 KB

Science Units

These units were developed as part of "Best Practices" courses in southwest Vermont.

Gr.K Living and Non-Living

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Gr.K Living & Non Living Unit.doc177 KB

Gr.1/2 Properties of Matter

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Gr.1-2 Properties of Matter Unit.doc67 KB

Gr.1/2 Properties of Rocks and Soil

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Gr.2 Properites of Rocks & Soil Unit.doc83 KB

Gr.3/4 Adaptations

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Gr.3-4 Adaptations Unit.rtf73.94 KB

Gr.3/4 Rocking With Rocks

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Gr.3-4 Rocking with Rocks Unit.doc78.5 KB

Gr.5/6 Geology and Plate Tectonics

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Gr.5-6 Geology & Plate Tectonics Unit.doc148.5 KB

Chart of Science Performance Tasks

VT GCEs for science

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grid science tasks 8.09.doc583 KB

Performance tasks by Grade Level

PreK-K

Pre K and K GCEs from VT DOE

Cars and Ramps

Physical Science - Space, Time and Matter (S:9-29)
Properties of Matter (S:9-13) | Physical Change (S:14) | Chemical Change (S:15-16) | Nuclear Change (S:17-18) | Motion (S:19-20) | Force (S:21-22) | Energy (S:23-29)

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cars and ramps student task.rtf10.66 KB
cars and ramps summary guide.rtf139.15 KB
Cars and Ramps Task Overview.doc35.5 KB
cars and ramps teacher guide.doc78 KB

Something Fishy

VT GEs:  SPK-K: 2, 4, 25   Magnets

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Something Fishy Teacher Guide.rtf71.46 KB
Something Fishy Student Task.rtf15.89 KB
Something Fishy-Scoring Guide Summary.rtf39.82 KB
Something Fishy Task Overview.rtf47.53 KB

Grade 3 & 4

Grade 3-4 GCEs VT DOE

Bouncing Light

Physical Science - Space, Time and Matter (S:9-29)

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bouncinglightexperimentprocedure.rtf520.38 KB
bouncinglightOverview.rtf23.01 KB
bouncinglightplacemat.pdf116.71 KB
BouncingLightstudentversion.rtf3.49 MB
BouncingLightteacherguide2.rtf4.81 MB
bouncinglightWallBallBouncingPreAssessment.rtf836.33 KB

Meadow Matters

VT GEs  S 3-4: 4, 7, 34, 35, 38           Ecosystems, Energy Flow, Classification

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Meadow Matters Scoring Guide Summary.rtf42.1 KB
Meadow Matters Student Task.rtf286.81 KB
Meadow Matters Task Overview.rtf51.93 KB
Meadow Matters Teacher Guide.rtf669.35 KB

Sledding Too Far

Physical Science - Space, Time and Matter (S:9-29)

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sleddingtoofarsscoringsummary.rtf29.18 KB
sleddingtoofarstudenttask.rtf29.84 KB
SleddingTooFarTaskOverview.rtf32.85 KB
sleddingtoofarteacherguide.rtf277.35 KB

The Sum of the Whole

VT GEs: S 3-4: 2, 3, 9      Matter

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The Sum of the Whole Preassessment task.doc47 KB
The Sum of the Whole Scoring Guide.doc63 KB
The Sum of the Whole Student.doc75.5 KB
The Sum of the Whole Task Overview.doc31 KB

Toothpick Beak

Life Science - The Living World (S:30-43)

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OverviewToothpickBeaks.rtf11.88 KB
TeacherGuideforToothpickBeaks.rtf38.12 KB
ToothpickBeak.rtf15.75 KB
toothpickbeakscoreguidesummary.rtf28.28 KB

What's the Matter with Water

Physical Science - Space, Time and Matter (S:9-29)

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TheWhatstheMatterwithWaterPreassessmenttask.rtf544.09 KB
WhatstheMatterwithWaterScoringGuide.rtf68.48 KB
WhatstheMatterwithWaterStudent.rtf1.01 MB
WhatstheMatterwithWaterTaskOverview.rtf20.08 KB

Wiggling Through Third Fourth Grade

Life Science - The Living World (S:30-43)

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WigglingthroughThirdGradeScoringGuideSummary.pdf165.01 KB
WigglingthroughThirdGradestudentversion.pdf133.98 KB
WigglingThroughThirdGradeTaskOverview.pdf104.7 KB
WigglingthroughThirdGradeteacherguide.pdf299.36 KB

Grade 5 & 6

Grade 5-6 GCEs VT DOE

Ecosystems Pond Life

VT GEs   S 5-6: 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 36, 37      Equilibrium and Recycling in an Ecosystem

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Ecosystems-Pond Life Scoring Guide.doc588.5 KB
Ecosystems-Pond Life Student.doc358.5 KB
Ecosystems-Pond Life Task Overview.doc32 KB

Feed Me

VT GEs S 5-6: 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 30      Exchange of Materials through a Cell Membrane

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Feed Me Student Version.doc247 KB
Feed Me Task Overview.doc34.5 KB
Feed Me Teacher Guide.doc112.5 KB
Feed Me Scoring Guide Summary.doc210.5 KB

Where Has All the Water Gone

VT GEs   S 5-6: 2, 4, 24, 48       Water Cycle, Physical Change

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Where Has All the Water Gone Student Version.doc43 KB
Where Has All the Water Gone Teacher Guide.doc59.5 KB
Where Has All the Water GoneTask Overview.doc30.5 KB

Grade 7 & 8

Grade 7-8 GCE's VT DOE

Dough Si Dough

VT GEs S7-8: 2, 3, 4, 7, 9, 13, 14     Properties of Matter

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Dough Si Dough Task Overview.rtf35.88 KB
Dough Si Dough Scoring Guide Summary.rtf42.31 KB
Dough Si Dough Student Task.rtf128.49 KB
Dough Si Dough Teacher Guide.rtf104.99 KB

Glitter A Go! Go!

VT GEs S 7-8: 3, 23, 48                Heat Energy, Weather Patterns

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Glitter a Go! Go! Task Overview.doc35 KB
Glitter a Go! Go! Scoring Guide Summary.doc217.5 KB
Glitter a Go! Go! Student Guide.doc102 KB
Glitter a Go! Go! Teacher Guide.doc124 KB

Hot Air

VT GEs S 7-8: 2, 5, 12, 13, 14       Properties of a Gas, States of  Matter

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Hot Air Task Overview.doc33 KB
Hot Air Student Version.doc61.5 KB
Hot Air Teacher Guide.doc72.5 KB

Jellyfish Jam

VT GEs S 7-8: 2, 3, 8, 30, 41     Flow of materials in and out of Cell, Equilibrium

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Jellyfish Jam Task Overview.doc36.5 KB
Jellyfish Jam - Student Task.doc253.5 KB
Jellyfish Jam-Summary Scoring Guide.doc220 KB
Jellyfish Jam-Teacher Guide.doc106.5 KB

Pal's Campground I

VT GEs S 7-8: 4, 8, 36, 38, 49      Sorting organisms; Biotic Features of an Ecosystem; Human Impact on Environments

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Pals Campground I Student Version.doc266.5 KB
Pals Campground I Scoring Guide Summary.doc212.5 KB
Pals Campground I Task Overview.doc34.5 KB
Pals Campground I Teacher Guide.doc317.5 KB

Pal's Campground II

VT GEs S 7-8: 2, 4, 8, 36, 49    Abiotic features of an Ecosystem, Human impact on Environment

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Pals Campground II Scoring Guide Summary.doc222 KB
Pals Campground II Student Version.doc156.5 KB
Pals Campground II Task Overview.doc35 KB
Pals Campground II Teacher Guide.doc240 KB

High School

50/50

VT GEs

      Math    MHS: 7, 22, 25, 27    Exponential Decay

      Science S 9-12: 2, 5, 18         Half-Life

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50.50 Task Overview.doc34 KB
50.50 Student Guide.doc50 KB
50.50 Teacher Guide.doc73 KB

Powder Predicament

VT GEs   S 9-12:2, 4, 5, 8, 9     Physical and Chemical Change

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Powder Predicament Scoring Guide Summary.rtf41.85 KB
Powder Predicament Student Task.rtf133.32 KB
Powder Predicament Task Overview.rtf43.73 KB
Powder Predicament Teacher Guide.rtf264.31 KB

Too Cool

VT GEs S 9-12: 2, 5, 7, 33, 41   Homeostasis

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Too Cool Student Task.doc44 KB
Too Cool Teacher Guide.doc58.5 KB
Too Cool Task Overview.doc34 KB

Formative Assessment Probes: VT GE Alignment

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Probes Book 1: GE alignment56 KB
Probes Book 2: GE Alignment51.5 KB
Probes Book 3: GE Alignment51.5 KB
Probes Book 4: GE Alignment52.5 KB

SWVT CCC -Science Probes - Formative Assessment

SWVTCCC Probes grade 1/2

Making Sound

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Gr.1-2 Making Sound OK 08.doc89 KB

Are We Doing Science

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Are we doing Science 1.2 ok 09.doc24.5 KB

Day and Night

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Gr.1-2 Day and Night Ok09.doc28.5 KB

Ice Cubes in a Bag

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Gr.1-2 Ice Cubes In a Bag OK 08.doc27 KB

Is It a Liquid?

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Gr.1-2 Is It a Liquid OK 08.doc26.5 KB

Is It a Plant?

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Gr.1-2 Is It a Plant OK 08.doc818.5 KB

Is It a Rock?

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Gr.1-2 Is It a Rock OK 08.doc438.5 KB

Is It a Solid?

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Gr.1-2 Is It a Solid OK 08.doc26.5 KB

Magnets

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Gr.1-2 Magnets OK 08.doc26 KB

Objects in the Sky

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Gr.1-2 Objects in the Sky OK 08.doc45.5 KB

Plants in the Light and Dark

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Gr.1-2 Plants in the Light & Dark OK 08.rtf80.38 KB

The Moon

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Gr.1-2 The Moon OK 08.doc276.5 KB

What We Need

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Gr.1-2 What We Need OK 08.doc83 KB

What is Soil?

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What is soil1.2 OK 08.doc25 KB

SWVTCCC Probes grade 3/4

Changing Habitat

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Changing Habitat Gr3.4 OK 09.doc945 KB

Is It an Animal?

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Gr.3-4 Is It an Animal OK 08.doc64 KB

Moving Objects

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Moving Objects Gr.4 ok 09.doc57.5 KB

What is Soil?

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Gr.3-4 What is soil1 OK 08.doc25.5 KB

Who Am I?

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Who Am I Gr.4 ok 09.doc3.85 MB

SWVTCCC Probes grade 5/6

Decomposers

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Decomposers 5.6 OK 08.doc48 KB

Experimental Questions

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experimental questions 5-12 OK 09.doc76 KB

SWVTCCC Probes grade 7/8

Matter or Energy?

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matter or energy 7.8 OK 09.doc163.5 KB

Cell or Atom?

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Cell or Atom 7.8 OK 08.doc78 KB

Decomposers

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decomposers 7.8 OK 08.doc55 KB

Experimental Questions

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experimental questions 5-12 OK 09.doc76 KB

Gravity

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gravity 7.8 OK 08.doc39 KB

Organ or Body System?

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organ or body system 7.8 OK 08.doc40 KB

Seasons

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seasons 7.8 ok 09.doc100 KB

SWVTCCC Probes grade HS

Experimental Questions

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experimental questions 5-12 OK 09.doc76 KB

SWVTCCC Probes grade Kindergarten

Is It Living?

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K - Is It Living OK08.doc97.5 KB

Is It a Rock?

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K - Is It a Rock OK08.doc391 KB

Is It an Animal?

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K - Is It an Animal OK 08.doc186.5 KB

Plant and Animal Needs

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K - Plant & Animal Needs OK 08.doc31.5 KB